Bicycle-support.



We. Mil/L68. Patented Jan. 2, I900. J. P. HOBART.

BICYCLE SUPPORT.

(Application filed Aug. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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lhlllltw drawn Patient JOHN P. HOBART, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BICYCLE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,468, dated January .2, 1900.

Application filed August 1 1 139 To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. HOBART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bicycle-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the peculiar form of bicyclesupport seen in Letters Patent No. 599,964, granted to me March 1, 1898; and my present improvement comprises a specific combination of devices for automatically lock ing a swinging stock, to which is pivoted a pair of laterally spreading legs or props. This locking action takes place as soon as said legs are turned down and come in contact with the ground, so as to support the vehicle and prevent it from toppling over to either side; but the stock can be readily unlocked and its legs swung up to an inoperative position before the rider again mounts the bicycle, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing my improved bicyclesupport swung up to its normal or closed position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said support in its open position, a main brace, to which it is attached, being sectioned transversely. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the up per portion of the open support. Fig. dis an enlarged vertical section of the free end of the stock, the legs pivoted to it being spread wide apart. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of a holder that retains said legs in their closed position.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a portion of the main brace of a bicycle-frame, which brace is inclined at any suitable angle and has fastened to it a clip 13, located as near the sprocket-wheel bearings as cireu instances will permit. Pivo'ted at b to the lower part of this clip is a swinging stock 0, having a transverse mortise c at its free end to admit a pair of laterally-spreading legs or props D D, made of light steel bars so twisted at cl d, respectively, as to increase their stiffness and also to enable them to lie quite close alongside the brace A "when they are folded up, as

Serial No. 726,863. (No model.)

seen in Fig. 1. c c are pivots wherewith these legs are jointed to the stock 0, and E is a pin passing through the coil F of a spring, having extensions ff so engaged with said legs as to normally spread them apart, as shown in Fig. 2. Above this mortise o the stock has on one side a notch or gap 0 for the free swing of a curved shackle G, pivoted to the clip at g and normally thrown up by a suitable spring, as H. The inner edge of this shackle is concentric with the pivot l) and has teeth of the proper shape to engage with a ratchet-plate I, secured to the side of the stock.

Olamped to the main brace A is a two-part collar J, having keepers K K, whose upper ends bend in at 7t 7t. (See Fig. 5.)

From the above description it is evident that the spring F ff constantly tends to spread apart the legs I) D, and for this reason when said legs are swung up and engaged with the keepers K 7; K 7t, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, they will remain in such a position until intentionally shifted, as no vertical vibrations of the bicycle can cause said legs to slip out from under the bends 7t it. Again, when the legs are thus swung up the shackle G is disengaged from the ratchet-plate I.

To bring the supportinto service, the rider simply grasps the free ends of the legs and draws them toward each other until they bear against the opposite sides of the brace A, af-- ter which act said legs are swun up through the passages between said brace and the inner ends of the bends 7.; 7t. After clearing these bends the grasp on the legs is relaxed, and they are permitted to 'Iiy apart and then swing down until their free ends rest upon the ground, the opening of said legs being limited by their upper rounded ends coming in contact with each other, as shown in Fig. i. As soon as the legs have swung down and back a limited distance the shackle G begins automatically to engage with the ratchetplate I and is ready to lock the stock 0 and hold it immovable the very instant said legs come to a firm bearing on the ground or other solid surface. (See Figs. 2and 3.) As a result of thus locking the stock it is incapable of swinging either back or forth on the pivot b, and for this reason there is no danger of the legs being thrown out of their proper supporting position. It is evident that the bicycle is now supported by four somewhat-remote bearingsto wit, by the front and rear wheels and by the two legs contacting with the ground-which erect position of the vehicle will be preserved until said legs are intentionally shifted. To effect this shifting, the free end of the shackle G is forced down, thereby disengaging its teeth from the ratchetplate I and leaving the stock 0 and its legs D D at liberty to be again swung up as far as may be necessary to reengage said legs with their keepers K 70 K k, I

I claim as my invention- 1. In a bicycle-support, an attachment capable of being fastened around the frame of the vehicle; a fore-and-aft-swinging stock coupled to the under side of said attachment, and having a single ratchet-plate fastened to its side; a pair of laterally-spreading legs jointed to the free end of said stock; a spring that automatically opens said legs; a single curved ratchet-bar pivoted to said attachment, and a spring also secured to said attachment, and serving to hold saidbar in en gagement with said ratchet-plate, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose stated.

2. A bicycle-support comprising the clip B, capable of being attached to the frame of the'vehicle; the fore-and-aft-swinging stock 0, pivoted to said clip, and having a ratchetplate I secured to it; the laterally-spreading legs D D, jointed to said stock; a spring that opens said legs; a pivoted shackle G, capable of engaging with said plate; and aspring for effecting this engagement, in the manner described, and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. HOBART.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, EARLE R. PASSEL. 

